Nerd in the 'Noke

Aquaman (2018), PG-13, 2h 23 min - Live action DC films have had a very spotty track record over the last few years.  Previously, last year's  Wonder Woman  had really been the only one that had been well received.  I personally feel that Aquaman will be the second.  The funny thing is, it has more than a couple similarities with Wonder Woman: an outside the box director for a big, superhero film (in this case horror/thriller aficionado James Wan), a lead actor who didn't necessarily seem right when first announced (Jason Momoa), and a script/story that was allowed to stand on its own as opposed to being shoe horned into some greater, expanded universe plan.  I certainly don't mean to bash any of the other DCEU films (I probably enjoyed them more than most, even considering their downfalls), but I have always felt like WB/DC rushed the expanded universe concept in an attempt to catch up with the record breaking Marvel Cinematic Universe.  As a resul...

John Wick (2014), R, 101 minutes - John Wick has been on my 'need to watch' list for quite a while.  Longer than I had realized actually.  I remember hearing good things about it shortly after it was released, but apparently time then got away from me.  I was aware that it was well received enough that a sequel was being made.  What I didn't realize was that the sequel was already completed and being released last weekend.  That's when I decided that it was about time to see what all of the buzz was about.  Nothing like being two years late to the party! John Wick is a fairly straight forward, but wonderfully made revenge flick.  Wick (Keanu Reeves) is an ex-hitman, known as 'The Boogeyman', who has retired to the quiet life and settled down with his wife Helen (Bridget Moynahan).  As the film begins, we learn that Helen has recently passed due to an unspecified illness.  Knowing that John will require something to fill the void left in ...

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), R, 99 minutes - I actually saw this film a couple of weeks ago, but between trying to get our house cleaned up in preparation for putting it on the market and my excitement over Captain America: The Winter Soldier last week, I haven't had a chance to get this review together.  Wes Anderson films tend to be a bit unique and this one, revolving around The Grand Budapest Hotel and its ownership through the years is certainly no different. M. Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes), concierge extraordinaire, is one of the more memorable Wes Anderson creations in my opinion.  Gustave is at the center of it all: from hiring and training Zero (Tony Revolori), a new Lobby Boy at the hotel to taking care of the hotel's guests in every way possible (yes, every way), to being bequeathed the rare 'Boy with Apple' painting by hotel owner Madame D. (Tilda Swinton) when she passes away.  The reading of her will by estate lawyer Deputy Kovacs (Jeff Goldblum) is ...